1. Categories for applet and full application, 2D hardware only or 3D hardware required, to give a total of 4 categories2. 5Mb application limit, including libraries*; 1Mb applet limit, including libraries*3. Must run on Linux x86, and NT4/Win98 onwards4. Machine specs to be agreed upon: how about 800MHz/Geforce/128Mb?5. JDK1.4.1_01 allowed6. No "demos", there's got to be an actual game7. Cas can enter XAP (Not fair I know)

* Java3D just this once will be excused from being bloatware and be allowed in for free.

1. Ok, seems to be good (4 categories, good)2. A contest mustn't be so big... I think the bigest size limit would be 512k, not more.3. Ok4. Ok5. Ok6. No no no... It depends of the subject ! If the subject is (for example) "make a game with a size limit of 64k" you will make a game, but if the subject is "make an impressive 3d application without using any textures with a size limit of 64k", you wont make a game, but a demo.7.

6. No no no... It depends of the subject ! If the subject is (for example) "make a game with a size limit of 64k" you will make a game, but if the subject is "make an impressive 3d application without using any textures with a size limit of 64k", you wont make a game, but a demo.

Nah, I think it should be purely a game programming contest, not a demo contest.

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4. Machine specs to be agreed upon: how about 800MHz/Geforce/128Mb

It think GeForce is way too specific. If you use a GL wrapper, a GL supporting 3d card is fair but not one specific type of one specific brand.

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7. Cas can enter XAP

Hmmm... I give up I think it should be a new development in a fixed amount of time.

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2. A contest mustn't be so big... I think the bigest size limit would be 512k, not more.

Lemme guess: XAP = 4.99Mb? But seriously, I don't think 5Mb is that big (even though I'm on dial-up).

it's amazing what u can do with 4k... and how much space u can save here and there.

atm i have 2500bytes... (1596 left). well i have everything set up... running in fullscreen... physics are there... 10 sprites...

i hope the logic wont bloat it up too much :x

hehe just found out, that i forgot summin... that saved 48 bytes (1644 bytes left yea! )

after it's done i'll remake it in 64k... with better graphics, some special fx, sounds etc

well ok... i suggest summin like this:1) 4k, 64k and 256k

4k=4096 bytes64k=65536 bytes256k=262144 bytes

2) to main categories. pure and with external libraries (eg: lwjgl).

that means: 6 categories alltogether.

i agree that there shouldnt be too much categories. well... 4k is *really* small and the game cant be really complex therefore it doesnt take that long to make a nice entry. in addition... i think 4k is a good starting point, cuz u learn quickly alot bout filesize optimisation.

3) the game itself and it's media has to be smaller or equal to the given bytesize.

4) obfuscating and jars are allowed (eg: jax->jarg->7-zip)

5) java assembler is allowed (eg: jasmin)

6) the game has to work without parameters (commandline/applet params). it's ok if there are some optional switches but it has to work without em too. the jar-ed game has to work after renaming (it's not allowed to store data in the name of the jar file).

7) it has to be a real game. that means there must be a goal and there has to be an end.

*all* file extensions should be lowercase.

9) the game will be released as zip, wich contains:a) the game including all it's mediab) a small html file (applets only)c) the complete source (cuz it's about learning )d) a txt file with some information:-author-game name-genre-with or without additional libraries-4k, 64k or 256k-used size-squish process-personal comment

that could look like this:-------------------------------------------------author: oNyxgame: dropzonegenre: actually i dont know libs: nonelimit: 4kused: 4089 bytessquished with: jarg 0.9.13 only (it was bigger with 7-zip in this case)comment: it's an remake of the c16 game "dingbat" (aka "jet man"). 64k version follows -------------------------------------------------

File size limits that low (especially 4k) are going to result in source code that is not very intelligible. I think one of the biggest benefits to such a contest will be to open up game development techniques to people who don't yet have a thorogh understanding of Java's game development potential. Demonstrating how to reduce file size is probably a lot less of a priority than how to get started with Java gaming in the first place.

Might I suggest the sizes be something more realistic like 40k, 400k, and 4Mb? Or the quality of the results will be, quite frankly, atrocious. And as far as the use of assembly is concerned - if you're trying to show off Java's strengths then you really want to show how simple the code is, not how much of a smartarse you are

7) it has to be a real game. that means there must be a goal and there has to be an end.

Huh? 'an end' being 'game over' I suppose? But really, lots of games don't have an end until the game is over. Most of the classics from before '85 don't(pacman, space invaders, galaxian etc).I intend not my game not to have an end because when you reach it, you'll probably never play it again (given that the game was actually fun to play of course).

File size limits that low (especially 4k) are going to result in source code that is not very intelligible.

well there will be some very simple entries too. just a loop... a handfull of logic and a bit drawing.

thats perfect for a beginner isnt it?

writing a game as minimalistic as possible is imo the best way to start game coding.

my first "game" was such a minimalistic thingy too... i wrote it '97 with turboC. i had a "paddle" on the bottom of the screen, wich could be toggled between left and right (with space). a "ball" dropped either left or right and u had to decide quickly if u want to change your position or not.

there were levels (it got faster all 10 bounces), there was a score (score+=10*level ), u had 3 lives... and there was even awful (speaker) sound.

never the less... i was god damn proud

the thing i want to point out... if u r quite new to the language and c some of these minimalistic 4k games u might feel the urge to do it better. in addition... u dont need that much motivation to make a small and simple game.

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I think one of the biggest benefits to such a contest will be to open up game development techniques to people who don't yet have a thorogh understanding of Java's game development potential.

feel free to make a well commented, simple, perfect for beginners and absolutly clean coded 4k entry (tutorial alike)

btw it might be a good idea to judge the source too. this way ppl will have a clue how usefull takin a look at the source might be.

maybe something like...

game:-technical aspect (smooft/fast enough, fx, graphics,...)-fun-overall ranking (it might be interesting to compare the games from all categories - a good game doesnt have to be big)

source:-readability (eg: style, common convention)-comments (if there are any are they usefull?)-how clean (error handling/closing streams/exit properbly etc)

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Demonstrating how to reduce file size is probably a lot less of a priority than how to get started with Java gaming in the first place.

hey... it doesnt have to be reducing to the death

sensefull using the space will usually do the trick. eg if u put all sprites into one big image and slice it up ingame, u'll save a lot of space (especially if u have a lot of tiny images - eg tiles).

I don't like the 4k idea. It is good as a challenge to see what you can do in 4k. But it is NOT good as a demonstration of what you can do with Java to make a decent game.

I think the motivation must be to come up with some really nice games done with Java. Some thing that will further the cause of Java gaming.

From that aspect, I think it is best if the categories were not based on size limits at all.. more like team size (one guy coding in Java for N weeks... or a team of X coders with Y artists did these... perhaps a pro and an amatuer level?

Size restrictions if they are used though, should be set so as to not limit the quality of graphics and sound.

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